Fangfic 1

Into The Dark

by DevilKat

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asd/devilkat/fangfic01.php
Summary: Not Supplied

JACK

It's a fact, dammit. Everyone's alone, and everyone's lonely. And sometimes, things come in the night that touch the near edge of terror. Beyond the Gou'ald.

Even older stuff. Stuff I couldn't admit I believed in till.it happened. When you're weak, hurt already, at risk.the other stuff comes and bites you on the ass. Or elsewhere.

Usually at night.when you're so damned alone and in so damn much pain that if the Grim Reaper came to visit you'd offer him beer and pizza before urging him to get on with it.

The only answer is to find someone, someone you care about, and hold on tight.

I couldn't do that. Put him at risk? No. Can fight it myself. Probably a hallucination anyway. Shouldn't read these books, watch these silly-ass scary movies.

Jack. Ass. Me, all right.

Life is being on a roller coaster. A really intense one, and most people don't even like roller coasters. They just pretend they do, so their friends will admire their courage. Beers get drunk, friendships get made. Everybody brags about how brave they are. Been there; done that. Both sides.

What? No, I don't like roller coasters either.

You hold on. As hard as you can, usually onto the person closest to you. Lucky them. And they're yelling in terror, too. From their own ghosts, as well as those you add in the name of friendship. And when real fear comes-something beyond the bungee cord drop, the shared booze, something you never would've imagined in your wildest nightmares.

Well then, you reach for the ones you love. Even if they haven't got a clue about your feelings, as yet. Even if you swore to yourself you'd never ever burden them with what they probably didn't want to know to begin with.

Ah.Danny? Sorry I held on so fucking tight.

I'll let you go any second now.

DANIEL

Well.this is sorta different.

It's usually me waking up in the infirmary, plugged in and turned on. Attached to various life support systems. And Jack at my side, half-dozing. Looking.almost comfortable, as if he'd been there for.days. Maybe even put in a change-of-address slip with the post office.

He's where I usually am, strapped into a bed with wires going in, coming out. Not looking so comfortable on the other side of it. I'm sitting here on a folding chair by his bed. Janet's warned me not to go closer. Infection. Some strange kind of anemia. They're pumping gallons of fluid into him. Vitamins, antibiotics. Blood. So damn much blood.

I might not have to sit here for days. He might not have that long.

He just keeps getting sicker. Paler.

Funny, how the stark beauty of his face against the grey hair becomes more pure, the paler he gets. Even his lips have lost color. Goddammit, how sick is he? Janet's gone to do another damn test. What the hell happened on that fucking planet? I thought he'd been injured by staff blast. Gods above, he's white as milk!

The monitors flatline. Then spike, before I can even scream in pain at the mechanical proof of death.

Shit! I jump up and start to run out looking for Janet. He's just dying.not already dead, can't be.and I refuse to.no, I won't watch him.no.not like this.

It's like a force field stopped me. Turned me, back to him. Sitting up in bed, and nothing is plugged into him now. He's ripped it all away. Is sitting up on the bed, rubbing his wrist, his arms.

Looking at me, he smiles a bit.

"Danny? For cryin' out loud, what's up?"

He voice is strong, if a little.strange sounding. Like there's an echo to it.

"Jack.? You shouldn't be.up. Gotta tell.Janet.gotta." I fall into his depthless eyes. Lose focus. Bet my mouth is hanging open, too.

The doors of the infirmary slam shut and lock. Yeah, on their own. I am not responsible. And guess what, whooptidoo, when I pick up the phone there is only a strident beep to inform me that technology is dead.

I assume I'm hallucinating, but I haven't the will to leave him now. I drop back beside him.and look into his eyes.

His eyes.are still dark chocolate. Even more beautiful, with the scarlet flame deep in those pure sable depths.

"Danny?" He doesn't even hesitate, or stutter, or try to say 'yeah-but-like-a-brother'. "I love you, Daniel. Always have. Always will." And then he waits. Looking at me, with the gentlest of smiles.

It's my move. "Jack, are you feeling.okay?"

(Love you Daniel. What did he say?)

"You.I.you're awful pale.I think."

(Always have.always will).

"Better get, ah, Janet."

(Danny? Love you.)

"Oh.fuck it!"

I'm moving instead of thinking. I'm flying. I'm in his arms, where I've always wanted to be.

He kisses me. No, not correct-he.devours me. Envelopes me, in an awesome force of desire so intense I can only melt into it and be consumed. My controls finally set to the heart of the sun.

Hard, and long, we kiss. Everywhere, and forever, lips the least of what's involved. And no one interferes, although I can hear them pounding on the infirmary doors and screaming.

Sorry. We will not invite you in.

He finally pulls away. The blood on his mouth is not just mine: I've bitten back. We've both-I can't believe..

"I love you, Danny," he tells me again softly. Almost.sadly.

I feel myself changing. Into more.and less. "Dammit, Jack! You just might've told me while we were still."

"Human?"

"Yeah!"

"I couldn't." He shrugs. "I was getting old-crotchety-losing my sense of humor-never would've told you."

"Ja-ack!"

"Aside from the fact that I was dyin' from Gou'ald inflicted wounds. The person who saved me.doesn't have much respect for snakeheads."

His head comes up, finally meeting my eyes in a wicked twinkle. The silver-grey hair is, well, crackling, experimental, spiked to the max over a face strangely washed of the more radical of worry lines. Of any lines. He is the Jack O'Neill I know, minus fifteen years or so. His dark eyes sparkle warmly into mine, but there is a slight touch of fang just brushing his lower lip. And goddamn if it doesn't look.sexy.

I can feel power coming off him in waves, but not knowing the source of it makes me nervous. Even though, yes, I remember, he was dying from staff wounds so intense and widespread he shouldn't even have a body left to.to do what he did to me.

I open my mouth. I'm not sure if I want to complain about something, or get kissed again.

"Danny," he says reasonably, before I can complain about anything. He's not offering a kiss, either, damn him. "If you want to go back-you can."

"Riiight." I sneer at him. Haven't gone into the various parts of him I've bitten, because that's---well---private. "Suck" is in there also, doncha'know. The mixture of multiple fluids thrumming through my veins right now would blast coffee off any known map for sheer adrenaline, utter bliss.

"You can," he insists, gently. "You.should. You're the heart of the SGC."

"Not without you," I tell him. I like how his eyes close when I touch his face. I like the look on that face, as if he's hearing music spun from starlight and that's what he feels when I touch him.

He hugs me light as feathers, even as he pulls away. "You stay for me. For both of us. Guard against the bad guys. I'll be back." He grins, whispers softly in my ear, "He'll get tired of me soon; I'm just too ornery. And not beautiful enough for him, when all's said and done." His dark eyes blaze into mine briefly, fiercely proud. "He was looking for you, Dannyboy. You're damnsure his type. But I fixed him. Got blasted instead of you; got bit instead of you; got taken in your place." A hoarse, soft laugh. "I just wish.oh, Danny! If you only knew how beautiful you look to me now."

Another kiss. More.like Jack.this time. Soft and sweet and.human.

And then he's gone and the infirmary doors are blasting open and Janet plus a million nurses are on top of me screaming for answers that I really, really can't give them just now. Maybe never, not the truth anyway.

But he promised he'd be back and I'll live on that for the rest of my life if I have to. A life that promises to be a very long one.considering all the.biting.

JACK

Everyone's alone, and everyone's lonely.

Even the undead, rot their eyes.

Their eyes are like jewels, by the way. And trust me.to have fallen into the bluest of undead eyes. Because I was so damned sure I couldn't warm the living ones?

He saved me from death, and I'm not ungrateful. I just wish.

I stand outside the Colorado Enclosure, totally unaffected by the deep winter cold. And he comes for me, as I knew he would. Another blond. Hesitates before speaking, for some reason-is there something in my eyes even he's afraid of? Unlikely; his ego's on a par with mine.

Danny finally kissed me. Oh, I'm smiling slightly. That's what he's confused about.

I shrug it off. I know how to honor my debts.

"For cryin' out loud, Lestat!" I bark at him finally. "Could we get this show on the road sometime today?"

Next: Hanging With Lestat